Apprentice Claims National Building Title
The NZCB Apprentice Challenge is now in its fifteenth year. Finalists were judged on their craftsmanship, commitment to the trade, and examples of their work.
Jack Mathis (19) from Waikato took second place, Nelson local Charlette Bone (39) finished third, and Taranaki's Jake Dugdale (34) was awarded the Chairperson's Personality Award.
The NZCB Apprentice Challenge is now in its fifteenth year. Finalists were judged on their craftsmanship, commitment to the trade, and examples of their work.
The event, held in partnership with BCITO, saw over 100 apprentices compete in regional heats in April, with 19 finalists qualifying for the national event.
The Papamoa local took home the prestigious Ken Read Memorial Trophy, a $10,000 prize pack from Mitre 10 Trade, and national recognition as one of the industry's promising up-and-comers.
'I've had a great time competing alongside other apprentices from all over the country. The competition really pushed me, so to come away with the win is just unreal,' says Scott.
'This award goes to my family and mum, in particular, who have been behind me the whole way. A big shout out also to the sponsors, who have been really generous with their support.'
As part of the two-day final, competitors were challenged to build a traditional carpenter's stool in just one hour. The high-pressure build was designed to test speed, precision, and decision-making under pressure.
The judging panel included Jonathan Tito, Industry Advocate for Carpentry at BCITO; Mark Dawson, Industry Advocate at Waihanga Ara Rau; and 2024 Apprentice Challenge winner Daniel Smith.
NZCB Chief Executive Malcolm Fleming says the Apprentice Challenge tests apprentices on the standards NZCB expects from its builders.
'Performing well here means they're ready to step into the industry and build with the quality New Zealanders rely on.
'All the apprentices showed incredible craftsmanship, we are excited to watch their careers develop from here.
Greg Durkin, BCITO Director, said it was exciting to see that 14 of the finalists were BCITO apprentices.
'The talent and dedication on display this weekend was outstanding. Seeing 14 BCITO apprentices among the finalists shows the strength of our apprenticeships and the calibre of young people entering the trades. We are incredibly proud to support them as they shape the future of New Zealand's building industry.
Competitions like the NZCB Apprentice Challenge are more than just a test of skill—they build confidence and sharpen real-world abilities. It is inspiring to see how events like this contribute to a thriving, high-quality construction workforce.'
The Apprentice Challenge National Final was held alongside NZCB's annual conference, which brought together around 400 industry professionals.
Note to the editor: First place won a $10,000 prize pack sponsored by Mitre 10 Trade
Second place won a $7,000 prize pack sponsored by Milwaukee
Third place won a $5,000 prize pack sponsored by GIB
Chairperson's Personality of the Year won a $3,000 prize pack sponsored by Paslode.
All winners are happy to speak with media.
About NZCB
New Zealand Certified Builders (NZCB) represents 3,000 members who construct high-quality homes for everyday New Zealanders. It's the only builder association in New Zealand with strict entry criteria that requires all members to hold a recognised industry trade qualification in carpentry. This means homeowners can rely on NZCB builders to produce high quality new builds and renovations, backed by the 10-Year Halo Guarantee.
About BCITO
The Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) is New Zealand's leading building and construction apprenticeship provider. It is proudly New Zealand owned and with a 34-year track record, it is a trusted partner in the sector, delivering over 55,000 trade qualified professionals in 16 different trades.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
8 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Half say risk data insufficient — insurer
File photo: Getty Images Nearly half of New Zealanders report they do not have enough information about the climate-related risks to their properties, a major insurance provider says. Tower Insurance chief executive Paul Johnston welcomed the release of the report "A proposed approach for New Zealand's adaptation framework", calling it a step towards greater certainty for communities, councils and insurers. The report by seven specialists, representing iwi, banks, economists, insurers and local authorities, has called for a 20-year transition period to a "mature adaptation framework" to balance the need to spread out costs associated with climate change adaptation with creating the right incentives to act. Mr Johnston said Tower had advocated for nationally consistent hazard modelling and greater data transparency, for all New Zealanders, for some time. "Tower's research shows that 48% of New Zealanders say they lack information about their property's exposure to climate-related risks and natural disasters," he said. "The insurance sector has a vital role in New Zealand's ongoing response to the increasing impacts of climate-related weather events and insurers need long-term certainty around climate adaptation policy to remain attractive to global reinsurers and help keep insurance accessible and affordable. "Risk-based pricing plays a vital role in this by helping to send important market signals." The company urged the government to act swiftly and deliver a bipartisan adaptation framework to provide long-term certainty for all New Zealanders, he said. — APL
NZ Herald
8 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Covid inquiry: Time to cut Dame Jacinda Ardern a break – Fran O'Sullivan
Sowing dissension when this country could more usefully focus on setting an ambition that might persuade more talented New Zealanders to build their futures here instead of heading for the departure lounge. Fact: Ardern has agreed to give evidence to phase two of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Government's response to Covid-19. If she cares deeply for her reputation – and I am sure she does, given the global acclaim that has come her way after her memoir A Different Kind of Power – she will agree to do that in public during the commission's hearings. Ardern doesn't have to come back to New Zealand for that. If the commission calls her – and it should – it can take evidence via Zoom as is now commonplace in transnational court hearings. Subjecting the former Prime Minister to running a gauntlet of personal and potentially physical abuse by insisting she gives evidence in New Zealand will just set off another wave of paranoid behaviour. It won't help in getting to the facts and motivations which coloured prime ministerial decision-making in the Covid years in the dispassionate manner that is needed. The economic trade-offs where the money printers went overtime and dollars were flung at business – critics lament that now. The country has a debt bubble to digest. But it is notable that some critics come from companies that took the Government's financial handouts but did not remit them back when their fortunes improved. The shareholders were winners. The taxpayers were 'tail-end Charlie' here. Go figure. Commission chair Grant Illingworth, KC, has said the inquiry will take public evidence from those affected by 'social division and isolation, health and education, and business activity'. This is important so New Zealand can learn the hard lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic and craft strategies for when the next pandemic arrives, as it certainly will. It will also provide a bloodletting for those who were most cruelly affected by the former Labour Government's Covid policies. Hearing from the 'victims' is long overdue. And there are personal stories aplenty, as most can attest. The commission also wants to hear from key decision-makers (and experts) about major decisions and their consequences so lessons can be learned. But the inquiry would be incomplete without hearing from Ardern, former Finance Minister Grant Robertson, former health supremo Sir Ashley Bloomfield and others within the tight Beehive circle that ran the country during the Covid years. It is undeniable that Ardern's performances at the 1pm 'podium of truth', where she and Bloomfield updated daily on the latest Covid situation, were required viewing. Her most impressive attribute was her mastery of that press conference. Her coining of the 'team of five million' (drawn from the late Sir Peter Blake's slogans to build public support for his America's Cup campaigns) to unite New Zealanders in 'fighting the virus' was also masterful. And it worked – at least in the initial phases of the pandemic response. People stayed home. The hospitals were not overrun. Lives were saved – although it is noticeable that the current world Covid death rate statistics show that many other countries did better than New Zealand in the long run. But Ardern's Covid honeymoon was quick to sour. Just one year after she pulled off a historic victory by catapulting Labour to an outright win in the October 2020 election, Ardern's reign hit stumbling blocks. Her Government's tardiness in getting sufficient New Zealanders vaccinated before the mid-August 2021 Delta outbreak helped pave the way for a punishing Auckland lockdown. This was Ardern's toughest year as Prime Minister. Cap that with the politically naive decision not to speak with protesters on Parliament's front lawn – instead of at least speaking with their leaders as commonsense former PM Jim Bolger advocated – and it is not surprising that the tide went out on her prime ministership. It was obvious to anyone coming down from Auckland to Wellington during this period that our political leaders were in a bubble of their own. I went to political journalist Tova O'Brien's farewell from the press gallery on the day we were finally allowed to travel domestically again. It was a different world. No paranoia about drunk citizens hassling or mugging people and acting thuggishly, which had become all too commonplace in the Auckland CBD, where I had spent the past four months. It was all bonhomie and drinks aplenty. The atmosphere also brought into sharp focus the lack of reality that coloured those 1pm press conferences to those watching from Auckland. Bizarre traffic light systems, for instance. The Prime Minister's empathetic response to the March 2019 Christchurch massacre, where 51 Muslims were murdered at the Al Noor and Linwood mosques, had earlier propelled her to international superstardom. The world's tallest building – Dubai's Burj Khalifa – had been lit up with a giant image of Ardern embracing a woman at a Kilbirnie mosque. Her leadership was tested not just by the terrorist attack, but by the Whakaari/White Island disaster and the pandemic. It's ironic that few thank her now for throwing so much money at the crisis. That's the pain of having to pay all that debt back. But there is room to examine all of this dispassionately – not try to (figuratively) hang her again as the more deranged attempted when they wheeled out their noose on Parliament's grounds.
Techday NZ
a day ago
- Techday NZ
Rocket Mobile tops NZ value rankings for unlimited data plans
Rocket Mobile's unlimited data plans have been identified as the lowest cost mobile plans in New Zealand, according to the latest Telecommunications Monitoring Report from the Commerce Commission. The Commerce Commission assessed a range of mobile offerings in its annual report, ranking Rocket Mobile's unlimited data plans first, second, fourth, and sixth based on price per gigabyte (GB). This positioning placed Rocket Mobile ahead of established mobile network operators in terms of value for data offered to consumers. Ranking and recognition The report from the Commerce Commission, detailed on page 244, evaluated the comparative cost-effectiveness of a range of plans offered in the New Zealand market. Rocket Mobile, a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), was highlighted for providing four of the six top-ranked unlimited data options by cost per GB. James Whittome, Head of Rocket Mobile NZ, commented on the results, stating the findings support the provider's standing in the national market. "We've already won Best Value Mobile Provider at the NZ Compare Awards for the past two years. Having all four of our unlimited plans ranked at the top of this ComCom list really highlights how other providers are overcharging consumers for mobile data." Market dynamics The annual Telecommunications Monitoring Report examines industry shifts within New Zealand, including market share changes among providers. The report noted that the MVNO market showed a significant annual growth rate, with share increasing by 61 percent year-on-year. Despite this, MVNOs represent only 2.5 percent of total mobile connections in the country. MVNOs, such as Rocket Mobile, were found to typically include comparable plan features to those offered by mobile network operators (MNOs) but at reduced prices. The Commission's data also highlighted persistency in consumer behaviour, with 63 percent of New Zealanders remaining with the same mobile provider for over five years, an increase from 60 percent the year prior. Only 5 percent of users switched providers during the last twelve months. "Cost of living is at the forefront of Kiwis' minds at the moment, so switching to a better value plan should be a no brainer. Yet there's still a misconception that it's a difficult process." Whittome further commented on switching behaviours, identifying inertia and misconceptions as central challenges for consumers seeking to benefit from lower mobile plan prices. "The only way we're going to see some real change and more competitive prices in the mobile market is if more consumers move to MVNOs like us. Since we launched, we've already seen some big telcos respond by slightly increasing data inclusions on selected plans, but overall they're still relying on inertia to keep the status quo," said Whittome. He continued: "This ComCom report should be a wakeup call to Kiwi consumers that they're still paying too much for their data, and there's no reason to keep it that way when you can switch and get the same or even more, for less money." Outlook and eSIM adoption The report also covered trends in consumer technology adoption and mobile data usage, both of which are rising across the country. Whittome is optimistic that more consumers will investigate MVNOs as an option, citing technological improvements as a contributing factor. He said, "With rising mobile data usage rates, Whittome is confident more consumers will consider MVNOs for lower cost mobile plans, especially when technologies like eSIM enables easy switching within minutes." Rocket Mobile states that its entire range of plans is compatible with eSIM technology, allowing customers to transition to their service quickly. Customers are able to retain their existing phone numbers at no cost and have access to plans without credit checks, contracts, or early termination fees. The findings from the Commerce Commission Monitoring Report are based on nationwide data and provide insights into cost structures, consumer habits, and the state of competition in New Zealand's mobile sector.
